The Salisbury Township Zoning Hearing Board will review the proposed Western Salisbury Fire Company fire station project when a hearing can be attended by the public.

The zoning hearing about the plan to build a new fire station on a portion of Green Acres Park was to have been held June 2 via Zoom.

Salisbury Township officials announced at the May 28 board of commissioners’ meeting the zoning hearing was postponed to allow residents to attend the hearing in person.

Township officials met May 27 in Green Acres Park with approximately one dozen residents, many of whom said they oppose the Western project.

Salisbury Township Zoning Officer Kerry H. Rabold said the approximate one and one-half hour meeting to review the zoning hearing board file and plans for the fire station was requested by the residents.

Several residents voiced their concerns about the Western project during the May 28 township board of commissioners meeting held via Zoom.

The residents said the fire station will ruin the park, affect the quality of life in their neighborhood and reduce the values of their homes.

One resident, during a May 26 phone conversation with a reporter for Salisbury Press before the commissioners’ meeting, described the Western project as “a bombshell” dropped on the neighborhood.

An artist’s rendering of the Western Fire Station was presented at the March 12 township board of commissioners meeting. The fire station project has been under consideration by commissioners for about two years and by Western officials for more than five years.

At the May 28 meeting, a Salisbury township commissioner took exception to email letters received by commissioners, which alleged deception by the commissioners concerning the Western fire station project.

During the May 28 meeting, commissioners said they are willing to hear the residents’ concerns about the fire station project.

The Western fire station was the first item on the canceled June 2 zoning hearing agenda.

Based on Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf’s executive orders, Lehigh County is among counties scheduled to go from the Red Phase to the Yellow Phase June 5.

The Yellow Phase prohibits gatherings of more than 25.

The Green Phase prohibits gatherings of more than 250.

Steve J. Elton, architect for the Western fire station project, talked about the artist’s renderings of the station displayed on two video screens in the municipal building meeting room during the March 26 commissioners’ meeting, the last in-person Salisbury Township meeting at the time of the state-ordered coronavirus pandemic shutdowns. “And because it’s smack-dab in a residential area, we wanted to design something that would fit in with the neighborhood,” Elton said March 26.

The proposed 13,000 square foot fire station is to be built on a 0.9-acre portion of Green Acres Park at a cost of approximately $3.2 million.

Township officials have begun the pre-application for a United States Department of Agriculture loan over 40 years at a 2.75 percent interest rate to finance the fire station project.

The decision to build a new Western station rather than renovate Western’s Swain Fire Station was made because township officials were reluctant to fund a fire station located on land the township doesn’t own. The Swain station is on land owned by The Swain School.

The recommendation for the township to build a new fire station was contained in the emergency services study by Duane Hagelgans, of Duane Hagelgans Consulting, presented to commissioners Feb. 28, 2019. The 142-page report was commissioned April 26, 2018. The township also funded the Eastern Salisbury Fire Company facility.

Western had sought to finance renovation of the Swain Station through a combination of fundraising and allocations from the township.

Before the coronavirus pandemic hearing delay, the one-story Western station was expected to go out for bid in June, with groundbreaking in September and completion in fall 2021.

During the May 28 commissioners’ meeting, Green Acres resident Jeffrey Seybolt was the first to speak during the approximate one and one-half hour discussion about the Western fire station project.

Before the discussion, Salisbury Township Board of Commissioners President Deb Brinton said, “I read the letters. I do take exception that we are deceptive.

“This [the Western Fire House project] is not an issue that has just come up. This has been discussed at many, many meetings.”

Brinton said information about the project has been posted on the township website and reported on by the media.

“This is not something that we have hidden. We are helping Western,” Brinton continued. “We did look at alternatives. We do not own land that the Swain Station is on. Putting any kind of investment into land not owned isn’t wise. Eisenhower is extremely small.”

Western also has a facility along Eisenhower Avenue.

“It’s a little bit more complicated than the way you explained it,” Seybolt said.

“I am here to represent a lot of people who plan to go to the zoning hearing board.”

Seybolt said the zoning hearing notice was posted May 8.

“This was the first time I heard about a fire station to be built in Green Acres Park. And no one else knew about it.”

Seybolt said the Western project would “destroy a community park that has been in existence for 50 years.

“We are adamantly opposed to building it in Green Acres Park and ruining the park. This project will destroy the beauty of this park.

“A 13,000 square foot structure, which will be eight to 10 times the size of our house, will be detrimental to our community.

“In 1968, the park was dedicated. The township accepted its dedication as a township park and has maintained it for 50 years. The park is used by residents. The Salisbury Youth Association also uses the park.

“This project needs to be stopped,” Seybolt said.

Brinton and township Commissioner Heather Lipkin said they would consider alternatives.

Board of Commissioners Vice President Rodney Conn and Commissioner James Seagreaves said they are open to discussions.

“You have a tremendous opposition to this,” Seybolt said.

“We were under the impression that the neighbors would want a fire station there,” Brinton said.

“Most of us moved there because of the park. You can’t take the park away from us,” Seybolt said.

“I also know someone who is on Andrea Drive and is supporting it,” Brinton said.

“We have had public meetings about this,” Lipkin said.

“Nobody notified us,” Seybolt said.

“This started well before the pandemic,” Lipkin said of the Western project.

“I didn’t know about it until the notices went up,” Seybolt said, adding, “We’re trying to preserve a community park.”

“The decision started with the commissioners and that’s why we’re approaching the commissioners.”

“It’s helpful to hear that the commissioners are open to discussion,” resident Marilyn Hazelton said.

“I’m interested in the loan from the USDA [U.S. Department of Agriculture] and where that stands,” Hazelton said.

“The first step in the process is the pre-application. They [USDA] want to see a lot of information. It was submitted well over a month ago now,” Salisbury Township Manager Cathy Bonaskiewich said.

Added Salisbury Township Director of Finance Paul Ziegenfus, “We are getting to the end of the approval of the pre-application. It’s by no means approved. The money’s not signed over yet.”

“If we switch gears and look at other options, it will hold up on that,” Bonaskiewich said.

“A number of us have not heard about this until about a week ago. It sounds as if there is more time for discussion,” Hazelton said.

Michael Greenholt, another Green Acres resident, said of the zoning hearing notices posted May 8 in the vicinity of the park, “That was the first official notice that I received. There are a lot of people who are shocked by this. This is a huge project. It has more impact than the park.

“As you look at the neighborhood and see the park, it’s named Green Acres Park. The architect is doing his best to fit this in. I’m happy to hear that all of you are open to discussion.

“I’m very concerned with the character of the neighborhood,” Greenholt continued. “I am very happy to have this open space. I would rather see the fire company have an appropriate location.

“What other sites have you looked at? It doesn’t appear that there are many calls in that immediate area. Obviously, Cedar Crest and I-78 are essential.”

“The location that it’s at now is pretty essential to the entire west side. You need it to be central. You want to have good response time to any call,” Salisbury Township Assistant Township Manager Sandy Nicolo said.

“I researched locations. There really isn’t any sites there,” Nicolo said, adding, “On top of building the new building, we wanted to own the land. We didn’t have a lot of choices.”

“I apologize for all of us if things have not been communicated. We’re not breaking ground tomorrow. The zoning hearing board is going to be held when it can be a public meeting,” Brinton said.

“Out of courtesy to the neighbors, we are going to hold a public meeting,” Bonaskiewich said.

“I am glad that there’s opposition. Our meetings are open to the public. If you’re concerned with what’s going on, it’s a two-way street,” Brinton said.

Chad Ekdahl, who lives in the Green Acres Park vicinity, said, “We’re not going against the fire department. It’s just the location that was chosen. All the things that were done are really, really appreciated.

“We want the fire department to have everything they need. You’re taking away a large piece of property. This is a massive project. This is major. The physical size of this is major.”

Said Greenholt of the blueprints for the new Western fire station, “It’s beautiful. It’s museum-like. Do we need to have something that large? Maybe Swain station can be reworked.”

“The size of that station was based on a study as to what was needed to properly function. We talked with consultants,” Nicolo said.

“Consultants can throw in all the bells and whistles,” Greenholt said.

“The equipment is there. The size of the structure is dictated by the equipment. The reverter clause [for the Swain property] was what gave me some pause,” Conn said.

Greenholt said, “I agree. I wouldn’t do it either. What kinds of conversations were taken? Maybe it’s warranted to bring up again. Swain has a pretty good amount of land. If we do not have that station there, technically that land goes back to Swain.”

Said a Green Acres resident who identified herself as Betty C., “Our children have used that park. And now our grandchildren use that park.

“This is something that’s 13,000 square feet in a residential neighborhood.

“We love having volunteer firemen and we are grateful to them. It would be like having an Amazon warehouse there.”

“Nobody knew anything about this. I feel like it’s a double whammy. Now they are talking about closing Western Salisbury Elementary School. I think you have to find a different spot. Maybe at Lehigh Valley Hospital.”

“As volunteers, it takes time to get to the station. This location is the best location to get there. As for Lehigh Valley Hospital, we couldn’t get there fast enough. You have to look at where your volunteers are coming from,” Western Salisbury Fire Company Fire Chief Joshua G. Wells said.

“We have started this project over 10 years ago. We have one bathroom [at the Swain station]. We do have female volunteers. We have one meeting room. We have a rotting mold problem that our members are exposed to.”

Wells said everything in the Eisenhower facility would be moved to one building. “There’s a lot more to it. Our needs are not met. We went to the township for help. The township said if we’re going to help you, we’re going to do it in our building.”

“Have you thought about going to a career-based [paid] fire company?” Betty C. asked. “Volunteers save millions of dollars,” Seagreaves said.

Noted Wells of the Swain station, “We own the building, but there’s a reverter clause. The township doesn’t want to put money in.

“We had plans to renovate the [Swain] building and they were approved. The emergency services study came and things got put on hold.”

“It’s hard to say that people would put money in a building that we don’t own,” Brinton said.

“I can take the emails of those registered tonight [for the May 28 board of commissioners’ Zoom meeting] and I can email you. We will try to come up with something,” Bonaskiewich said.

“People need to be aware of it. There are many people who are not aware. You have to reach all demographics in the community. This affects current generations and future ones. And the same thing with the [Western Salisbury Elementary] school,” Betty C. said.